


the night breeze carries something sweet

by vemodalarna



Category: Team Fortress 2
Genre: Cheesy, First Love, Fluff, Other, medic heavy n spy are mentioned, scout reflects fic nr 14, seriously i only write fics like this it seems fjskbsdk, so is miss p
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-16
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-28 22:47:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23174896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vemodalarna/pseuds/vemodalarna
Summary: Scout wasn't sure when he fell in love with Pyro.
Relationships: Pyro/Scout (Team Fortress 2)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 46





	the night breeze carries something sweet

**Author's Note:**

> hi i got back into tf2 after not playing it for 4 years! and oh im yearning. title from first love/late spring by mitski! this isnt edited because i am just one woman and am busy studying and not catching covid19
> 
> pyro is non-binary and mexican because. they are. and scout is a hopeless romantic but refuses to admit it

Scout wasn't sure when he fell in love with Pyro.

If he were to be cheesy and romantic, he'd say that the moment he fell in love with Pyro, was the moment they removed their mask for the first time. He'd say that the first time they locked eyes and Scout saw their eyes, one a golden olive green and the other a deep, swirly brown, so dark that it was almost black, he fell in love. Or maybe he'd say that he fell in love when they first intertwined their hands without rubber separating their fingers, when he first ran his thumb over their short and scarred fingers. Perhaps it was when they shared their first kiss, clumsy and insecure but theirs.

If Scout had a way with words, he'd say he fell in love with Pyro when their big and messy curls shone under the moonlight, their nose scrunched up and their smile big and their laughter bigger, right after Scout told a stupid joke. Maybe he'd say he fell in love when he realised their many scars mixed with their freckles looked like the stars that shone above them, and that he could get lost counting them and making constellations on their skin. He'd say that maybe he fell in love when Pyro doodled them together, a rough picture with colors Scout never even considered using and with a complexity that only Pyro could come up with.

But Scout wasn't cheesy, or romantic, or had a way with words. He wasn't a hopeless romantic or a poet, he was a simple man with simple needs. Rarely did he look into things or ponder over philosophical questions, like what love means or what beauty is. He was easily satisfied and pleased. Small things and details got lost on him. But when he first met Pyro, truly met them for the first time, he noticed the small things. He thought about them, about small quirks they had or every little mark they had on their tan face. Scout noticed the way they spoke so enthusiastically about every little thing when they were in private. Maybe he fell in love with them as soon as they met, or maybe he was still falling in love at that very moment. Scout wasn't sure.

He never considered himself a smart man. No, Scout was no academic; his mother was, his runaway father supposedly was, some of his brothers were. The girl next door he had a crush on when he was a child was, his old stern teachers were. Scout was never good in school; he failed most of his classes, dropped out of high school to help support his mother, to find a life for himself. Not that any of that mattered, he realised one day when he stood in their small shared kitchen. Of course it didn't, because look at where he was. Stuck in the middle of the desert, fighting the same 9 people over and over again over _gravel_. No amount of studying or dreaming would've changed where he was. No, Scout didn't consider himself a very smart man. But looking at Pyro lying next to him in his small old bed made him wish he had more words, because if he did he would've written hundreds of books and essays on just how beautiful they were.

The night was warm and Scout felt his bare hands getting sticky from the heat. It didn't help that Pyro had a warm body - they exude heat, both figuratively and literally. It was honestly slightly uncomfortable, but Scout couldn't care less. All he cared about was the way their legs were intertwined, about the hand he had resting on their waist and the rays of moonlight from his small window on their curved back. It wasn't very often that they got to share nights together; no one on the team knew that they were a... A _thing_. Scout wasn't worried about coming out as... Whatever he was (he wasn't sure but he didn't exactly feel a need to pinpoint it, either - he liked girls and boys and everything between or outside the binary, and he was satisfied even if he didn't know what label he would have), but he wasn't sure if he wanted to.

Medic and Heavy were open about their relationship, and everyone on the team knew about Pyro's identity. The team was surprisingly accepting and supportive - _hell_ , most of them weren't the norm, either, so Scout wasn't worried about them. But something about the vulnerability and the _genuine_ openness that was required to share that he was in a relationship was scary. He reckoned his partner felt the same, as they rarely show public affection outside of what they give to everyone. No, Scout wanted to keep this a secret, to let this be their thing and nobody else's business. Though to be fair, he was almost certain that Spy knew about them. He knew most things and the switch from 'her' to 'them' whenever Scout asked about romance advice definitely didn't go unnoticed. Spy, however, knew how to keep a secret, so Scout didn't spend time worrying about him spilling the beans to anyone.

Of course, there were days when Scout wanted to shout at the top of his lungs how hopelessly in love he was with Pyro and _god, guys, they're so cute and amazing and he would never give them up for the world_ , but neither he or Pyro were ready for that. Pyro was shy and introverted after all; with the mask on they had to shout and make big movements to make their intentions clear, but when it was off? They were soft, their accent slurring their words and their laughter breathy and quiet. Only when they were alone did they speak up or allow themself to take up space. Scout felt blessed to get to see them like that; glancing up at their soft face, squished on Scout's arm, made him all giddy and calm at the same time. Pyro was all round curves and soft (but surprisingly strong under all that; they could and had carried Scout across the battlefield many times, after all), while Scout was lanky and lean. They contrasted each other, in a way.

Sure, they had their ups and downs. Most of the time Scout felt like a big weenie; Pyro was so open about their feelings, telling him so many sweet words, both in English and Spanish. They made him gifts, crafted by their own hands. They knew how to apologize if they said something wrong, and it just seemed that the whole _relationship thing_ came to them so easily. Scout knew he was easily jealous, but he didn’t want to be jealous with them for being a better partner. It just made him… Sad, in a way. He didn’t feel like he could be as good of a partner as Pyro was to him. Spy told him once, back when he was crushing on Miss Pauling, that ‘first love is like a late spring. Innocent and kind, but opens up to the harshness of summer. You either learn to control the heat and wait for autumn or wither.’ Maybe he was right, as much as Scout hated to admit it. But dammit all, he was ready to learn and overcome his fears and insecurities for Pyro. He had never been in love before, and he was glad that Pyro was his first spring.

Smiling, Scout put his head down, his nose in their curly locks. Not being open about their relationship led to these situations being rarer than they should be, but man were they _sweet_ when they happened. Sneaking out at night or waltzing into the others room without anyone noticing was hard, and not getting anyone to question _why_ was even harder. Scout didn't care though, as long as he got to hold Pyro sometimes and sleep next to them, curled up and warm, he was happy.

Unfortunately, Pyro was a very light sleeper. Any sort of movement would shake them awake. It was probably a side effect or a nasty habit they developed from their old life; a life Scout truthfully didn't know much about. They only mentioned their family or who they used to be in passing - and even then it was never in a positive light. Scout reckoned that to end up here, with 8 other mercenaries, you had to have gone through _something_. No ordinary person would willingly give up their old life for this; a life of isolation in the desert, with the same 8 co-workers to keep you company for God knows how long, fighting in a seemingly endless war over basically nothing. Either way, Pyro was very easily disturbed, and as Scout cuddled closer to them, he could feel them start to wriggle around.

"Hmph...?" Was the only sound Scout heard, their face muffled gently by his shirt. Their fingers cracked, a nearly silent sound normally but sounded like thunder in the silent room.

"Hey," Scout muttered gently, pressing his lips into their hair before scooting back a little. They blinked blearily, squinting in the low light of Scout's bedroom. Scout couldn't help the small grin on his face.

"What time is it...?" they whispered, their voice raspy both from sleep and from the massive amounts of smoke they inhaled daily. 

Scout shrugged, his eyes not leaving the firebug laying in front of him. "No idea," he replied. "But definitely not mornin'. Soldier isn't bawkin' like a chicken, tha's for sure."

Pyro breathed out a noise similar to a chuckle. Moving their arms from their curled position at their chest, they slid their arms around Scout's waist. "How long have you been awake?" 

Scout made a non-committal noise. "Eh, you know... Most of the night," he shook his head at their raised brow. "Been thinkin', tha's all. You know how it is."

"Mm, I know," they replied before tucking their head under Scout's chin. "What were you thinking about?"

Moving his hand from their waist, he scratched his neck self-consciously. "It's... Well, it's gonna sound real cheesy." Scout wasn't exactly... _Smooth_ when it came to telling the truth when the truth was all gushy and romantic. He never had practice with these things before Pyro. "I've been, uh, I've been thinking about you."

His partner made a noise of interest next to his ear to coax more information out of him. Scooting closer to them, Scout readjusted his hands and started to fidget with the hem of their t-shirt. 

"I don't- I don't really know when I fell in love with you. I've been thinkin' about it and about us, I guess. About our relationship and about you. How- you know- how I wanna scream at the top of my lungs how amazing you are and how much I love you, cuz it's the freakin' truth and I want everyone to know it," he stammered out. Pyro pulled their head out and scooted away, their arm supporting their weight as they sat up a bit. They looked Scout in the eyes, and Scout felt like every inch of him was exposed and vulnerable, but he found that he wasn't scared of that sensation. 

"Why were you thinking about that now, at..." their eyes traveled to the clock on the wall, squinting and trying to make out the numbers. "... almost 3 in the morning?"

"I dunno!" he started playing with the collar of the large shirt he wore, one of Pyro's own that he shamelessly admitted to loving. "I couldn't sleep and you- you know you're beautiful, right? I- I mean, you are, but I can't stop thinkin' about it! I can't stop thinkin' about how much I just... Adore you. I don't have the words to describe it."

"... Woah," they breathed, a small smile on their lips. "You're right, that was cheesy."

"Shuddup," he muttered, turning so his face was mostly mushed into the pillow beneath him. He could feel his ears going red.

Pyro chuckled quietly for a few seconds, but then it was silent. The bugs that soared outside along with the soft buzzing coming from the various machines around the base was all that was heard. Well, he could feel his heart beating too, but dammit, being romantic never came to him naturally.

"You know," they spoke gently after a minute or so of silence. Scout turned so he could see them sit up properly, grabbing a pillow and holding it close to them. "I don't know when I fell in love with you, either."

"No shit?" Scout spoke, his voice slightly muffled by the pillow.

"No shit," they giggled. "I don't know. I don't really have the words for it in English, but you... You were always different. My vision would never distort you. I guess I became intrigued, sure, but I don't think I ever stopped falling for you after the first time we spoke."

Scout rolled over onto his back, staring at the ceiling and at the few stars Pyro had put on it a few weeks prior. He looked at them, gazing at Pyro's form as they sat hunched in the moonlight, small as they always seemed to be when opening up.

"I think I fall in love with you more every second that passes. I've never been in love before but I... I didn't think it would feel like this."

Biting his cheek, Scout reached out his arm and placed his hand on their arm. "... Welp, looks like we're both pretty cheesy."

Pyro turned their head, smiling at him, laughter in their voice. "I guess we are." Scooting over and lying back down, they snaked their arms back around his waist as he rolled back to his side.

"We should really sleep."

"Yeah. We should," Pyro muttered, already falling back asleep.

"I love you, mumbles." Scout whispered, giving them a soft peck on their lips.

"Mm... Love you too..." they sighed, their breath becoming gentle and rhythmic.

Scout didn't know when he fell in love with Pyro. But maybe it didn't matter _when_ Scout fell in love, just that he is in love and that they love him, too. 

**Author's Note:**

> thank you for reading! maybe i'll post more tf2 fics, but who knows.


End file.
